HELOISE: Counter points: Getting organized

Dear Readers: Do you love your kitchen? Do you have enough counter space? (Who does?) The National Kitchen and Bath Association (www.nkba.org) says that lack of space, and everything all over the place, is a major complaint. No kidding! We all know that! Here are a few quick hints to help you get organized:

First, go through drawers and cabinets and weed out what you don’t need or use. Do one at a time, or just pick out a few things every day.

An often neglected space in the kitchen? Under the cabinets. There are specially designed TVs, radios, can openers, coffee makers and spice racks that can go there.

Store heavy or seldom-used glass bakeware on the bottom shelves, and lighter-weight metal bowls on upper shelves. (This also makes these items generally easier to lift.)

Thinking of your space from a different perspective will help you get organized and save time!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When your soup or cooked cereal is too thin, add some instant potatoes to thicken.

You can add 1/2 to 2/3 cup of shredded zucchini to a cake mix. It will turn out nice and moist, and stay fresher longer, plus you’ll get extra vitamins and fiber.

If you are dieting, use lemon juice, vinegar or water to thin out high-calorie salad dressings, or to rinse out the last tablespoon or so when the bottle is empty.

Phronsie, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: When throwing away an old microwave, keep the glass plate for a cutting board.

Peggy in North Carolina

Dear Heloise: I discovered an almost perfect storage solution for fresh fruit, especially cut-up melon. I have an old plastic food-storage container with a lid and a colander that fits down inside (originally for draining and storing cooked pasta, I think). The melon chunks can drain — you know how slimy fruit can get if it’s sitting in its own liquid. This also works well for fresh berries.

Then I found a microwave vegetable steamer in the kitchen section of a local department store that works the exact same way. I bought steamers for my daughter, daughter-in-law and myself.

Melinda Capozza in Huntington, Ind.

Dear Heloise: When I am putting any of the frozen dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls out to rise and I want to hurry them along, I use my heating pad. I put the pan right on the top of the heating pad, and as soon as the pan gets warm, they rise so nicely.

Lavonne Gail in Le Mars, Iowa

Dear Heloise: When I make stuffed peppers, my mother likes hers mild, but my husband wants his spicy. I stuff Mom’s in the green pepper and my husband’s in the red pepper to ID it as hot. Everyone gets his or her favorite!

Karen in Florida

King Features Syndicate